Robot using moving walk and method of controlling the same

Abstract

A robot, includes: a camera: a driver comprising a plurality of wheels and a suspension for connecting each of the plurality of wheels to a body of the robot; and a processor. The processor is configured to: identify both a movement direction of a moving walkway and a movement speed of the moving walkway based on a plurality of images of the moving walkway received from the camera after the processor identifies that the robot is located in an entrance area of the moving walkway, control the driver so that the robot faces an entering direction corresponding to the identified movement direction; control the suspension connected to at least one of the plurality of wheels so that the robot is tilted at an angle corresponding to the identified movement speed, and control the driver so that the tilted robot moves in the entering direction and enters the moving walkway.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A robot, comprising:
 a camera;   a driver comprising a plurality of wheels and a suspension for connecting each of the plurality of wheels to a body of the robot; and   a processor configured to:   based on the robot being identified as being located in an entrance area of the moving walkway, identify both a movement direction of a moving walkway and a movement speed of the moving walkway based on a plurality of images of the moving walkway received from the camera,   control the driver so that the robot faces an entering direction corresponding to the identified movement direction;   control the suspension connected to at least one of the plurality of wheels so that the robot is tilted at an angle corresponding to the identified movement speed, and   control the driver so that the tilted robot moves in the entering direction and enters the moving walkway.   
     
     
         2 . The robot as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 identify a boundary line between a plurality of plates of the moving walkway based on the plurality of images received from the camera while the robot is located in the entrance area,   identify the movement direction of the moving walkway based on a normal vector of the identified boundary line, and   identify the movement speed of the moving walkway based on a movement speed of the identified boundary line.   
     
     
         3 . The robot as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 based on the robot being identified as entering the moving walkway, identify a plurality of plates of the moving walkway based on the plurality of images of the moving walkway received from the camera,   identify a tilt angle of the moving walkway based on a normal vector of at least one of the identified plurality of plates, and   control the suspension connected to the at least one of the plurality of wheels so that the robot stands upright based on the identified tilt angle.   
     
     
         4 . The robot as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to identify the at least one of the plurality of plates based on the movement speed of the moving walkway and a response speed of the suspension. 
     
     
         5 . The robot as claimed in  claim 3 ,
 wherein the robot further comprises a sensor, and   wherein the processor is further configured to control, based on the plurality of plates not being identified based on the plurality of images received from the camera while the robot enters the moving walkway, the suspension connected to the at least one of the plurality of wheels so that the robot stands upright based on a sensing value received from the sensor.   
     
     
         6 . The robot as claimed in  claim 3 ,
 wherein, the processor is configured to:   based on the robot being identified as being located within a predetermined distance from an exit area of the moving walkway, re-identify the movement direction of the moving walkway based on the received plurality of images,   control the driver so that the robot faces an exiting direction corresponding to the re-identified movement direction, and   control the driver so that the upright robot moves in the exiting direction and exits the moving walkway.   
     
     
         7 . The robot as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein, based on an object being identified as being located in the exit area, the processor controls the driver to move the robot in a direction opposite to the exiting direction. 
     
     
         8 . The robot as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 based on the identified tilt angle being identified as being within a predetermined angular range, identify that the robot is within the predetermined distance from the exit area of the moving walkway.   
     
     
         9 . The robot as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 identify a width of the moving walkway based on the plurality of images received from the camera while the robot is located in the entrance area,   determine an entrance location of the moving walkway of the robot based on the identified width of the moving walkway, and   control the driver so that the robot faces the entering direction corresponding to the identified movement direction at the determined entrance location.   
     
     
         10 . A method of controlling a robot, comprising:
 based on the robot being identified as being located in an entrance area of the moving walkway identifying both a movement direction of a moving walkway and a movement speed of the moving walkway based on a plurality of images of the moving walkway received from a camera;   controlling a driver of the robot so that the robot faces an entering direction corresponding to the identified movement direction;   controlling a suspension of the driver, the suspension being connected to at least one of a plurality of wheels included in the driver, so that the robot is tilted at an angle corresponding to the identified movement speed; and   controlling the driver so that the tilted robot moves in the entering direction and enters the moving walkway,   wherein each of the plurality of wheels is connected to a body of the robot through the suspension.   
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the identifying both the movement direction of the moving walkway and the movement speed of the moving walkway includes:
 identifying a boundary line between a plurality of plates of the moving walkway based on the plurality of images received from the camera while the robot is located in the entrance area;   identifying the movement direction of the moving walkway based on a normal vector of the identified boundary line; and   identifying the movement speed of the moving walkway based on a movement speed of the identified boundary line.   
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 based on the robot being identified as entering the moving walkway, identifying a plurality of plates of the moving walkway based on the plurality of images of the moving walkway received from the camera;   identifying a tilt angle of the moving walkway based on a normal vector of at least one of the identified plurality of plates; and   controlling the suspension connected to the at least one of the plurality of wheels so that the robot stands upright based on the identified tilt angle.   
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising identifying the at least one of the plurality of plates based on the movement speed of the moving walkway and a response speed of the suspension. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising, based on the plurality of plates not being identified based on the plurality of images received from the camera while the robot enters the moving walkway, controlling the suspension connected to the at least one of the plurality of wheels so that the robot stands upright based on a sensing value acquired through a sensor of the robot. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 12 , further comprising:
 based on the robot being identified as being located within a predetermined distance from an exit area of the moving walkway, re-identifying the movement direction of the moving walkway based on the received plurality of images;   controlling the driver so that the robot faces an exiting direction corresponding to the re-identified movement direction; and   controlling the driver so that the upright robot moves in the exiting direction and exits the moving walkway.   
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising, after identifying that an object exists in the exit area, controlling the driver to move the robot in a direction opposite to the exiting direction. 
     
     
         17 . The method as claimed in  claim 15 , further comprising, when the identified tilt angle is within a predetermined angular range, identifying that the robot is within the predetermined distance from the exit area of the moving walkway. 
     
     
         18 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 identifying a width of the moving walkway based on the plurality of images received from the camera while the robot is located in the entrance area,   determining an entrance location of the moving walkway of the robot based on the identified width of the moving walkway, and   controlling the driver so that the robot faces the entering direction corresponding to the identified movement direction at the determined entrance location.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable recording medium comprising a program for executing a method of controlling a robot, the method including:
 identifying both a movement direction of a moving walkway and a movement speed of the moving walkway based on a plurality of images of the moving walkway received from a camera after identifying that the robot is located in an entrance area of the moving walkway;   controlling a driver of the robot so that the robot faces an entering direction corresponding to the identified movement direction;   controlling a suspension of the driver, the suspension being connected to at least one of a plurality of wheels included in the driver, so that the robot is tilted at an angle corresponding to the identified movement speed; and   controlling the driver so that the tilted robot moves in the entering direction and enters the moving walkway,   wherein each of the plurality of wheels is connected to a body of the robot through the suspension.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the method step of identifying both the movement direction of the moving walkway and the movement speed of the moving walkway includes:
 identifying a boundary line between a plurality of plates of the moving walkway based on the plurality of images received from the camera while the robot is located in the entrance area;   identifying the movement direction of the moving walkway based on a normal vector of the identified boundary line; and   identifying the movement speed of the moving walkway based on a movement speed of the identified boundary line.